1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to copier apparatus, and more particularly to an improved fusing apparatus incorporating means to effect end-for-end reversal of the hot roll.
2. Prior Art
In a dry release hot roll fuser having paper fed with the long dimension parallel to the fuser rolls and referenced to one end of the fuser, the fusing of a large number of smaller sized copies, e.g., 11 inch copies, over an extended period of time, results in uneven wear of the coating on the hot roll surface. This wear produced by the 11 inch copy paper would not present a problem if this were the only paper size used, but as is well known in the art most copiers use variable lengths of paper. This wear can then have a deleterious effect when fusing larger copy paper e.g., 14 inch copy, particularly at the position on the hot roll that is greater than 11 inches. This wear condition can be relieved by reversing the hot roll, end-for-end, at regular intervals to distribute the wear over the surface of the hot roll. Currently, this requires removing several screws, other components, including the fuser heating lamp, and handling the hot roll cylinder itself. This operation must be done by a skilled technician at regular maintenance intervals and requires several minutes to complete.